


Train Tracks

by Fiction_Travels



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: (Reverse) Harem, AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Horrortale (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Underfell (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Underswap (Undertale), Blueberry Sans - Freeform, F/F, F/M, First person reader, Gen, Gender Neutral for the most part, Heathers References, Horrortale Papyrus (Undertale), Horrortale Sans (Undertale), Kind of drugging, Kind of fast paced but that's the technique in the beginning cause wtf is going on, M/M, Multi, Multiverse, Original Character(s), Panic Attacks based off real life experience (Not cringey ones I promise), Reader Is Not Chara (Undertale), Reader Is Not Frisk (Undertale), Reader just wants to learn about magic, Second Person Flashbacks, Swapfell Papyrus (Undertale), Swapfell Sans (Undertale), Underfell Papyrus (Undertale), Underfell Sans (Undertale), Underswap Papyrus (Undertale), Underswap Sans (Undertale), Wth is freeform?, future??? - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2020-04-24 16:51:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19177441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fiction_Travels/pseuds/Fiction_Travels
Summary: The Undertale Multiverse is collapsing.Monsters, magic humans, and those unfortunate enough to be caught are thrown in alternate universes; soul mates are met in unexpected places; and soul leaches are everywhere.Humans are getting soul related illnesses and with monsters growing in numbers, Magic authorities aren't sure how much longer before humans strike back. But hey, we don't really care - we can read it all safely behind screens-Wait. What's this about being pulled into the multiverse?*******************NOTE: Going through and editing, updates will be sporadic.Chapters edited: 4/9





	1. 1

*edited 09/16/2019

Your body is lead; stiff, and creaking as you wiggle your toes. Your hips and legs crack as you stretch them, the satisfaction gained from your actions short lived. Your stomach is cold, the surface you lay on hard, and you feel a burning in your chest.

You're so tired.

The fogginess in your head weighs you down. The crust in your eyes glues them shut. Your lungs rattle painfully. You can feel sunlight warm your eyelids, to the point where they burn; and there's a disconnect as you try and move your arms. The blood doesn't flow properly, your fingers are twitching against your command. 

As if pulled by strings you roll up, vertebrae by vertebrae, till your head lifts from your chest.

Your brain can hardly focus on your surroundings, the crust in your eyes dig into your skin. You don't understand where you are, why the air is so crisp. You don't understand why you have a backpack in your lap. You don't understand why you feel so sore.

Your eyes stare but you don't process. Your ears hear but you don't listen. Your fingers touch but you don't feel. Your nose inhales but you don't smell. Your tongue rolls but you don't taste. Outside forces are there unprocessed. Until you snap into focus.

"Alright. We have'ta find out where the fuck we are."

You blink as you process the other two girls with you; who look as tired as you feel and a-hundred-ten times more stressed. The blonde is holding a mud-stained map, and the curly-haired one is rummaging around her own pack, muttering curses and tossing supplies. 

"I think we're-"

"Oi, (Y/N), can I have some water?" she interrupts the blonde.

Your hand is reaching into your pack before you can understand, and you toss a drinking flask in her direction. The blonde looks up sharply from the map at the other girl's request.

"Glad to see you're awake," she says, smiling in your direction. "You were acting really funny earlier, we thought you were really sick."

"Now that you're awake," the curly haired one says, putting the flask back into your bag and clasping your shoulders, "You can finally get us the fuck out of here."

The map is placed on the ground in front of you, and curly hair points to a forested area.

"We managed to walk into here while you were fucky, and I think we headed here," she points to a general direction to the North-East. "Do the latitude-longitude bull to direct us, m'kay?"

...

This is not okay.

"I'm gonna be blunt with you," you look up from the paper. "I have no idea where we are, who the hell you are, and what the fuck is happening." 

Their faces are hard to make out as you stare at them, waiting for the punch line to the prank you're not aware of. For a minute they meet your gaze, as if expecting something from you.

Then they start laughing.

They laugh slowly at first, soft and short, but as their laughter grows so does your confusion. It's by the time their faces are red and they're laughing like you told the best joke ever, that you feel bubbling in your chest.

"Hey this isn't funny."

They continue, tears streaming down their muddled faces.

Your chest boils.

Waking up in a forest with random girls that expect you to direct them someplace sounds like the start of a stupid dream.  Them dismissing your questions sound like a shitty fan-fiction. 

Yah, no thank you. 

Last you checked, you were reading, not running. Whether reality or dreaming, you didn't want to be the victim to whatever sick prank they were pulling that involved kidnapping you. You had somewhere to be. 

"Since you find this so funny," placing your hands against the group you shove yourself up, allowing the bag on your lap to drop. "I'll be on my way. I don't have time to deal with bullshit."

"Wait," the blonde says, her higher pitched laughter is dying down. "I'm sorry we laughed, we'll be more serious and follow the map next time you get sick, we promise this time."

That implies there was a promise last time. You don't know them. You don't know them. You don't know where you are.

Your chest lurches.

You need to go.

"Ya, don't get yer panties in a twist," curly hair rolls her hair. "let's just get down to business."

"And defeat the Huns." blondie says. They both look up at you, their faces becoming more defined, and you can see them smiling softly. The tightness you weren't aware of in your chest softens, but the lurching sensation is still there.

You aren't sure what's physically going on with you. You aren't sure where you are. You aren't sure what the hell is going on.  
You know for a fact you don't know these people or where the 'Fairk' forest is.

You know you need to leave. You know you need to go-

You spin on your heel and walk away.

"Hey-(Y/N)!-Wait!"

The world around you shifts. The green around you spins until you meet brown, and your chest lurches. Brown eyes with furrowed eyebrows and curly hair, lips no longer smiling and the left corner twitching.

"What's your favorite color?" she's demanding. She's physically holding you down. You can feel your chest growing heavy, and hear your heart loudly in your ears. It's too steady. It's too calm. You have to leave.

"What's it to you?" you ask trying to tug your arm free. Her focus switches between your eyes. Your chest lurches.

She needs to let go.

"Answer my fucking question." 

Her hands must be leaving bruises on your arm now. You don't like this. She needs to let go. You don't want her to touch you. She needs to let go.

You breath hard. Your chest is lurching. Your chest is boiling.

"(F/C)! Happy?" 

She lets go of your arm and you put it behind your back, eying her as she takes multiple steps back.

Curly lets out an onslaught of violent slews while blondie lifts her thumb to her mouth. You almost laugh. The boiling in your chest simmers.

They actually look regretful.

You don't understand why that made your body flush in an unpleasant manner and stay rooted in place.

"What's the date?" blondie's voice is soft, and it takes you a moment to process. Your chest hurts. 

"March third two-thousand-nineteen."

You feel but you don't understand. You watch tears start to roll down her face, but you don't want to.

"God damn it." curly mutters. "Do you, at all, like (L/F/C)?"

"No." you don't understand what your least favorite color would have to do with anything that's happening.

They're crying now, Blondie full on sobbing and Curly sniffling. Deep inside you feel sad but you don't understand why. You don't know them. They don't mean anything to you, why does it hurt?

Then curly pulls out a small, rectangular square. She taps it, before lifting it to her ear - a phone. She's making a call.

You don't understand what's she's saying. You don't understand. Your chest is boiling again, the bubbles thumping against your ribcage. 

They were fucking playing you.

They were fucking pranking you!

You want to scream. You want to swear. You want to leave-

"Pickles." Blondie blurts out. "Does pickles mean anything to you?"

"What does a vinegar soaked cucumber have to do with anything right now!?"

Your body is rooted in place. Your mouth is sour as Blondie hugs herself, you feel yourself moving forward -

No you need to leave you need to find -

...

What did you need to find?

"I'm going home." The words bubble from your lips, and you aren't sure if you're telling it to yourself or to the two girls. "I need to go home."

Curly hangs up around the same time you finish.

"Do you know where you are?" she's glaring at her phone screen. "Do you know where you live?"

You frown at her, struggling to move your body and leave. To go home, to find what you feel you need.

Your chest lurches.

"I can figure out how to get to (address) from where ever Fairk forest is."

Curly takes a step towards you. 

"No, you can't," You feel like your being shaken from the inside. "You live on 425 Ablivle Avenue, floor 4 unit 7. Your current country of residence is Youngjoll."

"That's not a country!" Your chest is boiling.

"What is? America?"

You throw your hand in the air. Your words come louder than you want.

"Yes, America is a country!"

She pinches the bridge of her nose, and you can hear her counting under her breath. This is stupid. You want to leave why can't you leave -

"Okay, (Y/N)? America hasn't been a country since twenty-twenty. Some president was racist, started a war, and lost."

Your chest lurches.

"It's now combined with what used to be Canada, after their prime minister sucked too apparently. Don't really remember the details, it was too boring."

What!?

She seems to be drinking in your silence, giving you a moment. You can hear heavy breathing. It's your heavy breathing.

"It's now twenty-two-hundred. And I just called someone to come find us."

You know, deep in your mind that what she says is wrong. America still exists. Canada still exists. Youngjoll does not. You've never heard of a 'Fairk' forest. You have some idea how to read a map, but the unit of measurement that they put in the legend was not one you've heard of.

And this whole time, she could've had whoever the fuck these people were come and direct her in the first place but tried to trick you into leading them through a forest that doesn't exist? Your vision lurches. You were unconscious earlier - they probably kidnapped you. That's it. They fucking kidnapped you. They were gonna drag your corpse through the mud, and harvest your organs. Your chest hurts you need to go-

"HUMANS, WE HAVE ARRIVED AS REQUESTED TO ESCORT YOU OUT OF THE GAME." 

A game? Does that mean you failed? Oh fuck. You were going to die. They were going to sell you off, and kill you when they were done. They were going to 'donate' your racing heart to a mobster boss. Feast on your sour tongue.

You need to run. You need to run so badly. But your body won't listen to you. You feel heavy, pulled down to your spot - almost sluggish.

"HAVE YOU REINTRODUCED YOURSELF TO YOUR FRIEND? THEIR SOUL SEEMS TO BE VERY SPORADIC AT THE MOMENT."

You can see the girls' faces, but behind you is where the new voice is coming from. You know you have to run. You know they're the one you have to be wary of. But your body won't move. You feel rooted in place.

"WORRY NOT HUMAN! FOR I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL EXPLAIN EVERYTHING TO YOU!"

And suddenly the lurching stops and you're staring a skeleton straight in the face.


	2. One

2 years earlier.

Now, sans (the classic and the comic) was obviously, to anyone who knew him P.C.E., well educated in magic particle physics. He was smart, extremely lazy, and able to remember resets. He was able to remember the many time he had been on the surface.

He meant many. 

His version of Frisk was curious. They liked to explore every path in the underground, every secret room, every reaction - but he was thankful that even when they explored genocide, they reset while in the ruins. His Frisk was not a mass murderer and vowed to never hurt a living soul. His Frisk only reset a couple of times, and only to ensure a better future for the monsters they missed befriending. His Frisk seemed to want them happy.

Humans, though they liked to believe themselves accepting forgiving creatures, were not as welcoming to monsters as his Frisk. Sure, some were nice, but there was always the lucky few who tried to 'cleanse the world' of the 'minor' races.

This didn't just include monsters, sans later learned. It included multiple human 'races' who, when it came down to it, were the same on the inside. Right down to the squishy organs in their own skeleton.

These humans caused the Frisk of his timeline to load more than he cared to remember; because Frisk couldn't save outside of the underground. Every time they or another monster they knew died, Frisk loaded. Frisk loaded, and loaded, and loaded and loaded and loaded and loaded- Just like when they were underground.

And just like before, they were determined.

sans knew about determination. He knew how monster souls couldn't handle too much of it. He knew that determination was what allowed the miserable weed to go back and forth in time like Frisk. He knew it was a 'godly' power. But without the underground, without its magic infused air, he knew that Frisk would never be able to use the determination to save outside of the 35 points.

He theorized that, in the future, Frisk would be able to save on the surface. In areas where monsters had lived for a while or areas in which there was a concentration of magic compatible with their soul, Frisk would be able to save their lives on the surface. The problem was just staying in a load long enough. 

There was also a new problem showing up in his lab. He was starting to pick up frequencies of other places. Other timelines.

In theory, this was an incredible find. A timeline that diverged and branched off of his own coming back to the original (or so he believed his to be) - the endless possibilities that split them - he would be able to study the waves and determine (heh) what occurred when different choices were made. It would be the largest scientific discovery of the century - 

He theorized that, in each of the timelines, there was a 'Frisk'. I mean, alternate versions of oneself were bound to occur in said alternate timelines (universes, maybe?), but there was always one human who fell into the underground. That human probably had the same capabilities as their own Frisk, and could reset and load. 

sans could now read the magical waves that happened during a reset through these other worlds. He understood the magical surges and partical charges that were associated.

It was like a code - for the most part, the action of resetting and loading used the same thread, but the last 10-infinite numbers were different. He theorized that those numbers where what made the timelines different - or that they were the 'code' of the different places saved.

With each bounce in the waves, the timelines were coming closer and closer, and sans finally shared his discovery with Alphys. By that time, line '1000' as he dubbed it, was coming extremely close.

"I-i-i-it's ama-a-az-z-zing." she said, mulling over the notes he made.

sans would agree if he was seeing this for the first time.

"have your machines been acting weird lately?" His had been. "the magic waves that connects the undernet - have there been any complaints about that?"

"I-i-i've been g-g-getting complaints w-with w-w-websites getting added i-i-nfo, a-a-nd t-the codes s-s-s-swap-p-ping." she was staring wide-eyed at the most recent entries. "Nothing b-b-bad from the c-c-core."

He nodded, happy with her results.

"from the readings i've seen, this one is opposite of ours." he shoves his hands in his blue zip up. "our universe - timeline? - in simplified wavelength, is 01.0001. We seem to be an alpha line, as shown by the wavelength reading here." he nods to the first two digits. "1000.01 is the one that's coming closest. i think the best course of action would be to do a scan recordings of the underground first, then the surface. that way we can have documents to compare the before and after of the collision."

Alphys nodded, wringing her hands.

"D-d-d-do you think," she hesitated, then lowered her voice to a whisper. "Do yo-o-ou t-t-think it could have effects of s-s-souls-s-s?"

sans frowned.

"i don't think monster souls will deteriorate." he frowned. "while ours don't exist after death, we can sustain magic better than humans, especially considering the magic of 1000 seems to have no negative intent. we'll feel it - some more than others - but i believe we'll persist."

sans stated at the monitor, watching timeline 666.412 go through a reset and get closer.

"human souls may not be so lucky." he muttered.

Alphys seemed to realize something.

"O-o-oh g-o-o-od." 

sans quirked his malleable skull. She looked at him horrified.

"H-h-h-humans have been g-g-g-going on about a w-w-weird illn-n-ness lately. Their b-b-bod-d-ies are fine, b-b-but a handful of p-p-people have been feinting and forgetting ev-v-v-verything." she took a deep breath, and her hands became restless. "M-m-m-most of then have b-b-b-been put in m-m-m-mental instit-t-tutions, b-b-but a monster w-w-who works there s-s-said something about their s-s-s-souls-s..."

Well then.

sans sighed. He really just wanted to take a nap right now, all this work was too much for a lazy bones like him. Even the monster coffee he'd been drinking was becoming less and less effective. He was starting to feel cof-ful.

After the barrier broke, humans had learned that monsters not only existed but that they were also hella good healers. In the accords made with the UN, monsters were to aid in any illness related outbreaks. A special team of monsters, all with green magic, were sent at the command of a human green party leader to the affected places and treat all affected humans. This would help create a positive view on their community, the leaders said.

But when this part of the accords was brought up, so were monster related illnesses. Even though Asgore reassured time and time again that their illnesses were not susceptible to humans, a passage was made about monsters personally taking responsibility for their illnesses should they affect humans.

Monster related illnesses targeted souls.

Humans liked to jump to conclusions.

sans didn't find it unreasonable to assume humans would blame a new, soul related illness on monsters. Especially when they (monsters) would theoretically not be affected.

"ya think we should let mr. green know? he could prepare the soul control and arrange the transfer of patients."

Alphys nodded. Her glasses, he noticed, were shining in the light - and in definite need of a cleaning.

"...d-d-d-do y-you t-t-think we could d-d-d-do some checkups on F-f-frisk and T-t-terry?" she asked. sans eyelights softened.

Of course Alphys first concern would be those two. While Frisk was human, they had been adopted by basically the entire underground and exposed to magic for prolonged periods of time - they may be immune to the magical influx. Terry, on the other hand, was not as exposed to magic.

sans supposed exposing him to magic gradually could be a solution, but doing so to any other human could be risky. Humans were distrusting to new things, magic especially, as they feared how defenseless they were against it. Laws were made, and monsters could only use certain magic (ie green or teleportation) outside of magic neutral areas. Encounters, though they would expose humans faster, were heavily regulated by the UN. Undyne could PROBABLY get away with it in concerns with Terry, but the rest of the world may not be so lucky.

"sure thing alphs."

In the meantime, they could probably convince human governments to include more monster foods in the diet charts.

"i'll call tori and paps. you just try and expose terry to magic more; have undyne train more with him and include more monster foods."

As Alphys ran off to call her partner about their charge, sans took another swig of cold coffee. The bitter liquid was disgusting, and he really wanted ketchup.

He had a feeling he would need to buy a lot to help with what was to come.


	3. 2

Edited 12/09/2019

To you, a grinning skeleton brought back memories. Memories of a game where a pair of lovable skeletons befriended a smoll child. Memories of the smoll child killing said skeletons or leaving them trapped in a cave. Memories of the smoll child not killing the skeletons, and freeing them from mentioned cave. Also, memories of a fandom that over-sexualized said skeletons that had no genitals. And created alternate versions of said skeletons for fun.

Those last two left you on the fence.

Skeletons were in the human body. Skeletons were magic. Skeletons were death. Skeletons were villains. Skeletons were friends. Skeletons were in the room you sat in and one was going through a file with your first name on it.

Any confidence you had was gone. All fear(?) and confusion you had, was still present. They left you in a waiting room, and it was bright. Too bright. Your chest felt fuzzy.

Skeletons could use Blue magic. Skeletons could short cut. Skeletons were cool. Skeletons had multiple versions of themselves coming in and out of the room you were in -

You knew, as soon as you saw the first skeletal face and a red scarf that they were Papyrus. You knew, when you saw a similar face with a lolly stick and an orange pullover, that that skeleton was A Papyrus. Therefore, that there may be multiple skeletons - right?

A nervous bubbling was happening in you again as you pulled whatever knowledge you had from the mess of a fandom to the front of your mind. Most people created overpowered Ocs, right? And then put them into reverse-harems or harems with the alternate versions? Oh gods. Please not have let you end up in one of those worlds. Enough flags were flashing by being sent to an Alternate universe (Woot woot for the art of deduction), you did not want to go through all the I love you but I also love him bull that came from cringey fanfiction scenarios. You didn't want to be out in a position where the protagonist would pull some crazy shit on you for breathing at someone in their love circle wrong. You just want to figure out what the hell is going on, maybe learn magic, and bring that back to your reality-

You grew warm the prospect of that. Learning magic would be amazing - maybe you could also learn to jump between fandoms; go to your favourite worlds-

Your head turned at a feeling, and you looked at the only other humans in the room. There were two of them, and you made eye contact with a boy who was already looking at you through his lashes. Was he staring at you? Did you have something on your face? You felt the bubbling again, and looked away the same time he did. Which made you look at the other.  
The other human was female and exuded happiness, looking at all the souls walking around and wearing a heavy blush. She was physically pretty, you decided with the bubbling growing stronger, but she also looked like she wanted to jump all the bones in the room - 

Your chest lurched. You felt sick watching her look at the other people - the way she was made it worst-

You turned back the boy, whose fists were shaking against his thighs. Even with the nervous energy around him, he made you feel less nauseous. Made the bubbling less.

You turned away from him and stared at the ceiling. 

Underswap Papyrus, though he brought you here, had left as soon as you sat down. The girls you were previously with were left in the forest, presumably being guided out by Undertale Papyrus. You were frustrated when you felt your physical self loosen at the thought. 

The creaking of a door made you tilt your head down and focus on the only entrance in the room. Through it, stepped a skeleton of short stature and a greasy blue hoody, who you assumed was classic sans, as well as a green human.

You meant green.

"Good afternoon," Green said, pulling up a seat in front of the coffee table directly in front of you. This created a good distance between the two other humans and yourself, and him, you noticed.

And also reminded you vaguely of group therapy.

You didn't have to look to know the pretty girl was eyeing the sans as he talked to another monster - the sickening feeling you felt from her was enough. The boy remained quiet, and from your peripheral you could see him shifting in his seat.

"Good Afternoon," you decided to reply, breaking the silence in your area. "Are you going to explain what's going on?"  
You made eye contact with the green male through his green glasses. His green sleeves touched his green pants and his green body took a relaxed-but-still-professional posture.

Oof. A green political group therapy session.

"Only partially," he answered, adjusting the frames on his face. "my skeletal colleagues will explain more in a few moments - Do you have any questions concerning where you are in the meantime, or did you rehabilitation buddies explain when they dropped you off?"

You could see the nervous boy nod and hear the girl lightly hum. You felt the bubbling start more and almost laughed, in both stress and humor.

"I don't think so," you said, remembering the situation before. "but I also don't know who my buddies were."

Mr. Green put on a polite smile, and the skeleton with your files walked over with the classic sans.

You could see, now that you were actually focusing, file skeleton was a Gaster sans - two cracks running down his skull and yellow eyes. A sweater that exuded warmth under the white lab coat. 

"My name is Mr. Grin," Mr. Green said, trying to catch the girl's attention and bringing back yours. "You have all been brought here due to circumstances that were not preventable. Circumstances that took you to a universe alternate to your own."  
Out of the three of you who sat in brown office chairs, only the boy seemed shocked. Taking a glance at the girl, you could see her eyes sparkling - 

"So is this the O G timeline of Undertale?" she asked with her eyes lighting up. "Or is it a universe that takes genocide survivors, and we somehow ended up here?" 

You suddenly understood. She was deep into the fandom. This was probably like a dream to her - all her favourite skeletons in one place. Did that mean her and you -

"this is a main timeline," sans' voice was a baritone, you noticed as you focused back on him. The white lights in his sockets looked like stars. "your timelines are joining it."

He stuck out his hand to her.

"the names sans, sans the skeleton. Pleasure to meet'cha."

You watched her give him a gorgeous smile. A gorgeous, mary sue, smile.

"Heather, Heather the human. It's my pleasure."

He turned to you, and you felt yourself light you up. If she was the protagonist, then you knew who to avoid - right? Just spend as little time possible with any of the characters who she interacted with, but still treat them with respect so she didn't give you hell for being racist. But since this was the beginning of the interactions, you would be able to learn anything from them now before leaving them! Easy! You grinned and placed your hand into sans' as he offered it.

"(Y/N) (L/N), and I have so many questions concerning everything."

You felt it in full. His bones were cold and amazingly smooth against your fingers. His grip was sloppy, true to his nature, and slipped along your hands. You felt a pleasant warmth crawl up your hand to your chest, the bubbling becoming less. His eyelights were pinpricks now, but still glowing stars in his socket. 

He was made of magic, and even with your new-found plan it was amazing.

As sans moved to the boy, another skeletal hand hovers in front of you. You place your own hand in it and feel warmth in your palms. Looking up (as he was taller than sans, who only came to under your eyebrows) your eyes meet with gold and a smile.

"the names G. i'll be your caseworker, and helping you with habilitation in new new home." You squeeze his hand, the bubbling starting again.

You hadn't really focused on that; the fact that you would be stuck here for a while. You wouldn't be able to go home. You wouldn't be able to see people you cared about, animals you cared about. You were replacing an alternate version of yourself who liked your least favourite colour-

As sans and G return to being in front of you, you can't stop the bubbling as it travels up your chest and through your throat.

"How exactly did we get here, I still don't understand."

Why you? You weren't a part of any Undertale timelines or Alternate Universes; this didn't make any sense.  
sans grin continues to be lazy, and his teeth don't part as he talks.

"okay, so there's train tracks, right?"

What?

"and at different points, the trains can go to off from the main track to other ones."

"Okay?" You have a feeling he isn't understanding what you're saying.

"now there's a train that goes down the main track. with every branch off, a cart from the main train goes down it. The main train continues down the track, but isn't aware of the other tracks and the carts moving by them, getting closer. the carts then merge back on the main track, ramming into each other and the train."

As he finishes, you frown.

"That was a very complicated way to say the multiverses are collapsing into a main timeline," the bubbling hurts and you want it to stop. "but I don't understand why I've swapped over during the merge. I'm sure I'm not from an AU."

The feeling you get from girl's direction sick after saying that makes you sick.

G smiles this time, and there's a freshness that cuts through.

"everyone comes from an AU or timeline, you might, however, come from an one where monsters are still underground or don't exist anymore" - No that's not where you're from, they don't exist they shouldn't - "if you'd like, we can take a look at your soul and determine which one you're from - we need to do that during a later check-up, but if you would like, and move that appointment forward and do it now-"

The girl beside you springs up, and you want to get away - "I wanna see mine!"

G turns to face her, giving a smile, and he nods.

"Would you prefer to do this in private, or are you comfortable with sharing your soul with everyone in the room.  
You watch her as she scans the room, regarding all of you with different expressions. What was her name again? What was the boy's name? You make eye contact, and she gives you a smile that makes you feel warm.

"I'm perfectly fine with you seeing my soul." she says, turning and focusing on G, who barely nods before turning towards you.

"(Y/N)?"

You nibble on your bottom lip. Aren't souls super intimate outside of a confrontation (encounter???)? The only other time on was brought out was during the date with Papyrus - would doing it outside of the events hurt??? But he also said you would have to at a later date, so wouldn't doing it now be better - even if just to get it over with?

"...Okay." The words leave your mouth before you can change your mind. 

"Nathan?"

You look at the boy in question, watching as he tenses and brings his hand to his chest. His hands look so small, and his hair curtains his face and he shakes his head no.

You feel your chest lurch towards him - you feel bad for him.

At the clacking of shoes, you pull your face away from the boy and turn towards the girl. Her skirt flutters around her thighs and her long, glossy hair flutters around her frame as she walks up to G.

Wait. Her hair is silver-

You watched as G's eye softly lit up, and raised his palm opened hand to her torso. There was a soft buzz, and something stirred in your own chest. The air tasted like flowers but smelled of smoke.

Then out of her came a glowing heart with no color at all.


	4. 3

Edited 12/21/2019

 

Whenever Frisk had an encounter in Undertale their soul was portrayed as a bright red. Pixelated too, but still coloured. The unfortunate humans that Asgore and the Royal Guard collected were shown to be vibrant shade, representing the main character traits the deceased were associated with. In this Universe, HUMAN souls were supposed to be coloured.

The girl's eyes were wide. You could see her breathing speed up, and the bright light coming off her soul darkened the shadows on her face. "What the HELL is wrong with my soul?"

You would be appalled at her language if you didn't understand why she was freaking out.

In a world where souls were the very culmination of your being; surely if something was wrong with yours, something was wrong with you. 

A healthy human soul had colour portraying the person's strongest character trait. On the other hand Monster souls had no colour at all - like the one she had. But Monster souls were also smaller, and an inverted heart shape - Not right-side-up but upside-down.

You watched with unease as G lowered his arm and juggled the files. After a moment he opened the yellow one with 'Heather' scrawled on it, and jotted something down with a pen. That appeared out of no where.

There was something humming in the air. ɹɐı|ıɯɐɟ sıɥʇ sɐʍ ʎɥʍ?

"don't worry Ms. Nakumara," G's eyelights darted up to her and back down to his notes. "you appear either to come from a zero timeline, are a monster human hybrid, or in the 'other' category - a more detailed CHECK is needed to tell."

The puzzlement on the girl's - Heather's - face probably reflected your own. "I'm not a hybrid, I'm human. And human souls are supposed to have colour."  
"only if there's magic in their world," G answered back, holding his hand out to sans, who gave him a small device. "we've had a couple cases like this, nothing to worry about."

A yellowish-brown coats the rest of the folders, raising them in the air, and you feel like you're being smothered in flower petals. The look of the magic reminds you of a cartoon - a glow is around the object, with a couple inches of the surrounding space showing colour, but the thing itself has no colour alterations.

G calls out, and-

Oh. O H.

Your chest burns and you meet the gaze of the largest Candy-apple eyelight. The sans counter-part has a grin that's pointed in the corners. 

"-Mr. Green, if you could take Mr. Rode to the wards that would be greatly appreciated. sans and i will proceed with the CHECK as soon as you go."

The political bean smiles."Certainly," he reaches a hand out to and with the thrum in your chest growing stronger you meet it -

His hand feels weird.

"Pleasure to meet both." before gesturing the boy to walk around the coffee table and out the door. "Now Mr. Rode, did you have the same last name as you do now? Or should I address you as something else?"

You watch as both humans walkout, Horror sans following behind them. Leaving the two of you with the judges. ʞɔıs |əəɟ noʎ

"Maybe I should go with them." 

You didn't mean to say that.

"Not that I don't want to see my soul or anything," you try to correct, but your mouth keeps running "but maybe this is a little too personal? I mean? I know I was fine with it before, and she was too, but I don't think-"

sans snorts, interrupting you.

"there's nothing to worry about kid, most of what we say to her will probably apply to you anyway 'sides," He takes his hands out of his pocket and gives his comedic shrug "you wanted to learn about magic right?"

You could feel yourself freeze. You hadn't said that aloud, had you? No? Your head feels heavy, the flowers feel like a coat. The smoke is making your breaths deeper.

"just have a seat and we'll get to you in a minute." G says, and you plop onto the brown chair.

G holds a scanner up to Heather and her soul pulsates in response. It's like the ocean waves on a windy day, quick and HARD; entrancing to watch. The little gray heart thrummed and glowed faster, faster, faster faster faster -

The flowers are gone.

"(L/N), if you may."

Looking up, you make eye contact with G. You feel heavy, and stand up as though you were pulled by strings. The smoke is making your head feel like a balloon.

"g has'ta hold onto heather," sans says, taking one hand out of his pocket and winking. "i'll be taking your soul out for us to examine."

Your head gives a quick bob.

The world loses colour, instead taking on an inky black, and the objects of the room gain a white outline, the only colour comes from sans left eye.  Yellow and blue. Two rings and a cyan mist leaking out. You taste ketchup. The air feels crisp and dry. You feel cold. A slight beat is in the air.

You can't breathe. You're floating. It's cold. It's warm. You're floating. Something fell. You're floating. You're being held. Ketchup and flowers snow and smoke.

The world turns white?

Your body is lead; stiff, and creaking as you wiggle your toes. Your hips and legs crack as you stretch them, the satisfaction gained from your actions short-lived. Your back is cold, the surface you lay on hard, and you feel a burning in your chest.

You're so tired.

As if pulled by strings you sit up, vertebrae by vertebrae, till your head tilts forward and lolls.

The fogginess in your head weighs you down. Your lungs rattle painfully. You can feel lights, the air cold and stale to the point where it burns; and there's a disconnect as you try and move your arms. The blood doesn't flow properly, your fingers are twitching against your command. You humm.

Your eyes stare but you don't process. Your ears hear but you don't listen. Your fingers touch but you don't feel. Your nose inhales but you don't smell. Your tongue rolls but you don't taste. Outside forces are there unprocessed. Until you snap into focus.

"What happened?" you slur, your chest heavy and head a balloon.

You're staring a skeleton straight in the face.

"you okay there kid? you fell pretty hard?"

"Your magic swept me off my feet," you utter, tasting the air and humming again. "I have the strangest craving for fries and ketchup."

sans nods, his lazy grin unnerving.

"we'll get you some then." he steps back and you raise from the floor. 

Heather is suspended in the air, her soul higher than remember and beating sporadically. Her chest heaves up and down and her eyes are glued on you in panic.

"What the fuck?" you breathe out. 

"don't worry about her," sans says. "G has to do a more in-depth CHECK. i'm going to grillby's. c'mon. i know a shortcut." 

He starts toward the door, the ketchup overpowers the smoke, no and you take a step back.

The black is back, but this time much colder? Warm?

You see again, your shoes are on hardwood, and you're wrapped in a warm blanket. A bonfire is going?

"fast shortcut, huh?" sans stand in front of you, a folder tucked under his arm. "but you already knew it would be. hey everyone."

A chorus of voices call back in response, and sans walks up to the bar while nodding his head in greeting.

He did this with Frisk right before he asked about Flowey. Why did he bring you here?

"Another one Sans?" The bonfire grew stronger. Beautiful, strong, warm wood in a fireplace-

Holy hell Grillby was the bonfire.

"c'mon kid."

Grillby seems to be getting bigger, his flame was so much prettier in 4D. The pixelated in-game sprites did him no justice, was that silk his vest was made out of?-

You make it to the barstool and see pink sticking out of under the cushion.  The scent of bonfires and the comforting feel of a blanket makes the thrumming in your chest lull, and you slowly remove the whoopee cushion from the stool before taking a seat. -|ɹıɓ əɥʇ ʇnq

"grillby, we'll have a double order of the fries."

You watch Grillby as he leaves, the fire exit sign making the thrum a lull-

Scrrrrr

Sans runs a blue wide tooth comb along the back of his skull.

"so," he starts, placing the file along the bar counter and opening it. "you didn't really catch the diagnosis on heather's soul."

His eye-sockets give you a sideways glance, and you feel a flush take over the lull in your chest.

"No," you look away from his lights and run your nails along your arm. "I felt kinda weird and her soul distracted me."

sans let out a hum. You look over and words written on a page.

It's about you?

April 14, 2200

(Y/N) is exhibiting signs of merging, but has permission to go on the scavenger hunt with charges Vallery Montes and April Tiggleman. In-case of a sudden merge, codename "pickles" was decided to check identity, and Papyrus Underswap as well as Alpha Papyrus will escort charges. Merge, not expected till July. Next Check-up -

"so kiddo, you ever play undertale?" The words are cover by his huge sleeve. His hands are practically swimming in the fabric and seem so small-

Grillby comes back with the fries and you nod, and almost go to tell him what run you did-

...

Maybe not...

You pick up a single fry and take a nibble. 

Sans slides over a bottle of ketchup. You twist the lid off, noting that it was halfway undone, and slowly pour a huge pile of ketchup in the corner of the tray. Reapplying the lid, you slide it back to him and wait. He takes the bottle back and drinks from it, his teeth barely parting in the middle to fit the nozzle. Going back to your own meal, you dip a fry in the ketchup and take a bite. 

Too much ketchup. You can't taste the fry. .ɓʋoɹʍ s'ɓʋıɥʇəɯos

You eat your fries one at a time. You can see Sans eyeing you again, and jotting something down.

"try one of mine." he says, sliding over his own tray and pulling it back when you grab one. You dip it in your ketchup, take a bite.

It's still the same crunch and soft as your own, but it's better now - you can taste the salt and grease of the fry. The ketchup makes it lighter and goes against the heavy oil.

"It tastes different. Are yours cooked differently?"

"mine have more magic." he jots more.

You nod and munch on your ketchup fry.

"Magic is amazing," The thrum picks up. You take a sip of the water placed before you, the liquid glowing gold in the warm light.  "what I've seen of it I mean."

"speaking of which," he props his head and points the nozel at you. "you seem especially sensitive to it. but that's ta be

expected when you cross into an entirely different multi-verse. and your world has negative magic waves."

He's judging you. 

...You shove fries in your mouth.

"So I was right?"

"yup." 

You nod. Thinking back to all the Undertale Au stuff you remember, you stare at him for a moment. Should you ask him what's canon here? What the social dynamics are? Is this a world where weird things like wolf hierarchies are put into play?

"what i wanna know," he stares the bottles on the wall. "is if you're real or not."

"What?" Why wouldn't you be real? The thrumming in your chest is loud - it has to be real. They weren't real. They were the ones who were code and fiction.

He waves you off. He waves off an existential crisis he put on you. Oh gods, could this be a cringey fan-fic? Were you really an Oc created to exist in a world that wasn't your own? Your chest-

"don't sweat it kid. c'mon," he stands. "let's get back to the facility. i'll put you with the others from the negative."

You fell pulled up, but you don't want to. Not back there, not where she was being held -

The fries have already been put in a to-go containers -

"Is the girl also from a negative?" The blanket feeling hugs you tighter, but you can't calm down. It feels like your being squished!-

"she comes from a zero." sans walks out the door and you follow, surprised when you walk outside and not straight to your destination. There are so many noises-

sans steps out into the street. You follow, being pulled by your chest-

You're soaked in heavy ink, the smell of crisp paper stings your chest. The blue and grey of his jacket are weeeiiiirrrddd-

The white blob you know to be his head moves, and now there are black holes and pretty stars. Everything is ringing except his voice-

"...(Y/..)..?"

Something red zooms around the intersection -

You blink.

There's a Whoopee cushion in your hands and you're sitting on a bar stool, taking in the beautiful flames. A comforting feeling blankets you, but you chest it hurts so much you just want it to stop-

"sorry grilbs, times have changed. I'll be back for an order of those fries."

The world is black, and then everything is white.


	5. Help?

To anyone who reads this, I need absolutely honest opinions about this story.

Is it going to fast? Does it make sense?

I feel like it's rushed, I feel like it's bad, and that stresses me out so much because I don't actually know - my own brain makes it biased.

Are the chapters too short? I was rereading them I feel that they are, but if I go through and rewrite or merge them, will that throw you all off??? I'm absolutely terrified of that.

Please leave comments and tell me - I need to know so that I can improve upon what I'm developing.


	6. One year anniversary

Hey guys! This is just a little update on this fic and some news about it!

So as you can see, I unpublished several of the chapters and said I've been editing them. I know I mentioned that before, but what I didn't mention is that I'm doing it to all my books (which can be found under the same name on Wattpad and Quotev). And that I'm going to try publish by arc from now on.

Aside from that, Train Tracks is coming up to its first year anniversary! (Or already passed it, as it says March 3 publication date, lol). As such, I decided to go forward with the contest I've wanted to have for a while.

Basically, I wanna use your Ocs in the story.

They can be from anything, and literally any fandom. I'd like a drawing from them, a character synopsis sheet thing (I personally don't use them, so they can be any format), and for them to be submitted to me on the tumblr I have dedicated to the undertale fictions-tales! Link below, if it works lol. https://www.tumblr.com/blog/fictions-tales/blog/fictions-tales 

Please note! 

I am accepting literally any species. Human, monster, animal, plant, bitty - A N Y T H I N G . I'll even take self-interests, lol.

I will use your Ocs for the purpose of the story. Meaning they may be treated in ways that you may not like. It's not anything against them, it's just how the concept of this monoverse works.

Your Oc may not get a ton of limelight. I will not force them into the story, I will not force them to change their personalities. They will be used for however long they will be needed for, as people naturally come and go everyday.

Some will just be monsters not interacted with in the game. If I get monster OCS and they fit within a certain checklist, they'll exist peacefully. They'll be there, and have a purpose, and may be recurring staff it the centre.

Others will be treated like Heather. And I will have fun with them. Please don't hold back from giving me crazy overpowered characters, but know that they may be crushed, lol. Any old cringey OCS will be happily accepted.

A few may become the other mages. I'm accepting humans with distinguished soul traits, and may assign them to an Au via that. 

On the above point! Please assign them a 'home' Au. I will try to take them into consideration, but if a character already has that spot filled I'm sorry :(

I am accepting ship children. This will be purely for humour, and maybe for love interests??? Idk, I'm still messing around with that list, lol. If you don't want your child for the love interest, please say so. Also include their parents and Aus!

I may not use your Oc. I'm sorry, if I can't find a spot for them in the actual story, maybe they can be in the background of the comic I might post? If I do use them in anything, I'll reblog them on tumblr after releasing the chapter they're in and credit you!

 

I guess that's it! I'll keep the submission time open until I get the desired amount, or until I just don't want anymore lol. Thank you for reading this, and I hope to see you soon!


	7. One year Anniversary pt 2

Hey guys! I'm just creating this chapter to let you know that I will be closing the contest soon!

So I originally planned on starting the final drafts of the first arc after I finished school, and it made the most sense to me for the contest to close then as well so I could use your characters in that arc! I got a couple of submissions already, and I'm excited to use them!

So this is to let you know that I will be accepting submissions until Thursday, April 23. Latecomers on Friday will be accepted as well (as not all of us live in the same timezones), but any submissions after that may not make it into the first arc. Thursday, April 23, 2020, by the end of the day, please!

You can put a comment down below if you have any further questions, and full details about what I'm looking for can be found in the previous chapter or on my Tumblr for the fic, Fiction_tales! Please also submit your characters there, as I would like to upload them to the Tumblr when the chapter they will be first seen in is published! Remember, if you don't have a sketch of the character I'll draw them for you on that post as well! Just please provide the necessary info, and know I may message you if I have further questions about your character!

Thank you!

(Also, again, Thursday, April, 23, lol)


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